Kirby Visits Hyrule
by northernwesterners
Summary: Kirby never turns down an exciting adventure. This time around, he and his friend, Rick, enter a whole new world filled with excitement, fun, and danger. Will Kirby's fun-loving and easily-trusting nature spell trouble for Princess Zelda? Or, is there something else going on that might be even more sinister?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, this is my first story and I hope you enjoy it. I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. They are all property of Nintendo.**

Master Hand was floating through Dreamland, musing about a new concept he had developed. As he traveled through worlds and other universes, his idea grew from merely an offhand thought to a full-blown plan. _I'll call it Super Smash Brothers_, thought Master Hand. _Yes, I can see it now. The greatest heroes of the world fighting each other to see who the best is. The only challenge is getting these characters together. But, I'll figure it out._

Not too far away from Master Hand was the unintimidating pink puffball known as Kirby. He was sleeping underneath an apple tree. Many discarded apple cores surrounded the little guy and there was a collection of apples behind him. Rick, the hamster, was walking to collect apples of his own when he spotted Kirby. "Hey Kirby!" he shouted.

Kirby heard him and slowly stirred. "Hi, Rick," greeted Kirby. "Is it apple day for you, too?" Kirby noticed Rick carrying a little basket. Rick walked up to Kirby and placed his basket on the ground.

"Apples and pears today," answered Rick.

Kirby's eyes widened. "Pears? Where? I want some pears."

"You'll just have to follow me. I know the best place to—" Rick stopped short when he saw the form of Master Hand floating past the forest. Kirby and Rick were standing at the edge of the forest and were able to see the floating, white glove. "It's Master Hand," said Kirby. "We should be careful. I don't think he's friendly."

"I'm scared of him," admitted Rick. "Have you ever seen him angry before?"

"No."

"Neither have I, and I don't want to," said Rick, shuddering. Kirby thought long and hard. Master Hand usually never travelled near the common forests of Dreamland. Maybe something was wrong. Maybe people were in danger. It was hard to tell what Master Hand's designs were, but there was a chance he was planning something sinister.

"I better see what he's up to," said Kirby, breaking into a sudden run.

"Wait, Kirby! Don't go!" Rick high-tailed it and tried to catch up to Kirby and convince him not to follow Master Hand. In the meantime, Master Hand shot a beam out of his index finger. The beam coalesced into a circular portal. It was wide enough for Master Hand. Through the portal, a new world could be seen. _Time to move on_, thought Master Hand. He entered the portal before Kirby could reach him.

Kirby saw what happened and his curiosity was flaring. He ran to the portal and was mesmerized by how unreal it seemed. It was a doorway to another world. "Don't you dare go into that!" exclaimed Rick from behind. Rick was panting and had given up running. Rick walked to Kirby and then stood next to him. "But...it's so weird," said Kirby. "I have to know what's on the other side."

"Hey, we should be happy that Master Hand left this world," Rick said. "Come on, let's get those pears." Rick saw that look in Kirby's eyes. It was the same look that communicated an undying desire to explore. Rick sighed. He knew there was no stopping Kirby. "If we go in there, we're not staying long," asserted Rick.

"Okay, let's go then!" exclaimed Kirby. He leapt into the portal and disappeared. Rick sighed once more. A part of him wanted to just stay back. A part of him wanted to return to his normal schedule. Picking fruit was much safer than whatever adventure Kirby had put himself in. Yet, Rick couldn't abandon Kirby. They were friends. Though Kirby could be a bit eccentric, Rick still cared about his friend. "Here I go."

Rick jumped into the portal and appeared in another world. Kirby and Rick had appeared in a field of some sort. The grass was long, almost as tall as Kirby and Rick. The breeze caused the grass to tickle Kirby and Rick as they stood, both gaping, at the village ahead. They were so amazed, that they did not notice the portal behind them had closed. "It's a whole new world," said Kirby happily. "We're in a whole new world!"

"Yeah, but is it a safe world?" asked Rick.

"I don't know," answered Kirby. "But...we're in whole new world!" Kirby was jumping up and down excitedly. Rick hardly shared Kirby's enthusiasm.

"It's time to explore," said Kirby. "Let's go straight ahead. There's a village!"

Before Rick could even react, Kirby broke off into another run. Rick followed, trying to keep up. Kirby was always the better runner. Then again, Rick wasn't exactly in tip top shape. _I hate running_, complained Rick. Kirby and Rick dashed through the field and crossed the drawbridge that led to the village. The sky was overcast, and the temperature was comfortable. The village was abuzz with activity. Apparently, the people thought the weather was great to go out and about.

"Uh, Kirby..."

"Yeah?"

"Those people look different than us," said Rick, referencing the much taller bipedal beings up ahead.

"We're in a new world," said Kirby.

"Ah...right...what will they do when they see us?" wondered Rick. Kirby became quiet, thinking of the possibilities in his mind.

"They might give us cake," he concluded finally.

"Cake? Are you being serious, Kirby?"

"Yes. You know I'm always serious about cake. Come on." Kirby started walking into the heart of the village, taking in the tall structures and the people ahead. Rick followed nervously right behind Kirby. He sincerely hoped no harm would befall Kirby and himself. Unlike Rick, Kirby seemed calm and unafraid of whatever lay ahead. As a matter of fact, Kirby readily looked forward to finding out just what was ahead.

"We're in a new world...we're in a new world," sang Kirby gleefully.

"D-do you think we're even allowed to be here?" asked Rick. Kirby didn't hear Rick because his singing had become louder.

"We're getting closer to those people," muttered Rick quietly, as a few of the natives turned from whatever they were doing and regarded the two new visitors. Kirby continued singing loudly. Had Kirby not been singing, the duo would not have been noticed so quickly. As Kirby and Rick continued walking, more and more heads turned. The village became deathly quiet as the villagers regarded their unexpected guests.

Kirby stopped to take in the sights, still singing gleefully about the new world. Rick hid behind Kirby, shaking violently. "We're in a new world...we're in a new world," sang Kirby. "We're in a new world...we're in a new w—" Kirby stopped singing when he realized the people in the village were staring at him. Most were quiet, but the others were muttering. Kirby examined their faces. Some looked shocked or afraid. Some looked angry or expressionless. There were a few women villagers who were smiling, their eyes sparkling.

"K-kirby...what do we do?" whispered Rick.

"Hiiiiiii!" exclaimed Kirby. It was the only way he knew how to greet a crowd of that size. When Kirby did this, some people backed away. Others moved a little closer. There was a general murmur across the crowd.

"Kirby, we ought to leave," suggested Rick. "Haven't you had enough adventure? I just want to go back and pick pears. Come on."

Kirby suddenly gasped.

"What is it, Kirby?"

"There's a c-c-castle!" exclaimed Kirby. "They have a castle! Do you see it? Do you see it?" Kirby pointed it out to Rick. Rick saw it, but wasn't as impressed as Kirby.

"If we go through this town, we'll get to the castle," said Kirby.

"So we're not going home?" asked Rick, already knowing the answer.

"Not yet," said Kirby. "Come on." Kirby led the way as Rick followed him deeper into the civilization. The villagers cleared out of their way as they continued to walk. Kirby took the time to examine these people closely. They were tall, except for some of the kids. In addition, they all had pointy ears and wore colorful outfits. All Rick could focus on were the stares of the people and the faint whispers. "I don't think they like us," he said.

"Maybe not," said Kirby, his previous optimism dampened slightly.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back home?" asked Rick.

"Positive," answered Kirby. "I want to go inside the castle." They continued walking toward their destination.

"Uh...Kirby?" whispered Rick.

"What's wrong?"

"Some people...are following us." Indeed, a few villagers were walking toward Kirby and Rick. Kirby smiled. "Maybe they want to come with us," he said. "Maybe they'll help us get in."

"I don't think so," remarked Rick cynically. "Kirby, let's scram. Let's just run. Okay?"

Kirby nodded. "I'll race you, Rick."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just go."

"On your mark. Get set. GO!" shouted Kirby. Rick followed, lamenting the fact that he had to run all over again. At least it was good exercise. Kirby led Rick through the marketplaces, the crowds of people, and the chickens that roamed the streets. No one tried to stop them, to Rick's relief. They ran and ran until Kirby decided to stop in front of a building. Rick smashed right into Kirby. He didn't expect his friend to stop so suddenly.

As Rick got up and rubbed his hurting nose, he tried to figure out why Kirby stopped. Kirby seemed mesmerized by a wooden sign hanging from the establishment. On the sign was a painted image. It looked like a bottle of milk. "Milk..." said Kirby. "All this running has made me thirsty."

"You're not thinking of going in there, are you?" asked Rick.

Kirby ignored Rick and headed into the building. Kirby held the door open for Rick, and Rick followed his friend in. The place was mostly empty and had a weird smell. There were tables and chairs. One man sat down behind a bar, fast asleep. His head was resting on top of the bar, supported by his folded arms. He was a middle-aged guy with a thick, black beard speckled with some gray.

"They have to have some milk for thirsty travelers," hypothesized Kirby.

"I don't know..." said Rick warily. "I mean, I'm still not sure if we're welcome here."

"I bet they have milk behind that door." Kirby pointed to a door next to the bar, positioned to the left of the sleeping man.

"What makes you think it's behind that door?" asked Rick.

"Well...milk is valuable. Wouldn't you hide your milk?" Rick had to think about that one. Kirby made his way to the door, with Rick keeping close behind. Kirby had to get on his tippy toes to reach the door knob. As he turned it, the man who was sleeping woke up with a start. "He must be a light sleeper," guessed Kirby. "Maybe he could help us find the milk."

"I...don't think he's going to do that," said Rick as the man registered the two newcomers. He saw two creatures looking at him. The bearded man, who was the owner of the bar, had never before seen creatures like the ones he saw. Regardless of who they were, he knew one thing. To attempt to go back into the storage room was among the most serious of cardinal sins in his bar. "Scurry off you lousy kids!" he exclaimed.

Kirby and Rick jumped at the man's harsh warning. They looked at each other briefly, and they both knew what to do: run! Rick wanted to run back the way they came, but Kirby opened the door to the storage room and bolted through. Rick followed. "HEY!" shouted the bearded man. "Come back here!" He ran after them. Kirby and Rick had to navigate through a maze of wooden crates and glassware. They finally found another door.

_Let's hope this leads to freedom_, thought Kirby. He opened the door wide and saw the great outdoors. Kirby ran outside and then turned to see if Rick was coming. Rick was struggling. He had run more on that day than any moment in his whole life. "Come on, Rick!" encouraged Kirby. Rick climbed over a crate and made it outside. A thought occurred to Rick, and he turned around and slammed the door just as the bearded man was about to grab him. Rick heard a thud, but didn't stick around to see what had happened. The door immediately swung open. "You kids!" the man shouted. He clearly wasn't done. He dashed after Kirby and Rick.

"Kirby!" exclaimed Rick. "I...can't...run...!" Rick paused where he was, panting. Kirby was out of breath as well. The man was gaining on Rick. Kirby ran back toward Rick to defend his buddy. Fortunately, Kirby reached Rick before the man did. Kirby went up to the man and inhaled him. Then, Kirby spit the man out. The bearded man landed on his bottom a yard away from Kirby, who stood in front of Rick.

The man crawled backwards, his face sporting a look of terror. He shook his head slowly and finally got up. Then, he ran away, back to his bar.

"We can't go back that way," said Rick. "He might bring more people to get us."

"But the castle," insisted Kirby.

"Forget the castle! I've had enough of this place!" complained Rick. "I have never had to run so much. I'm tired. I need to rest."

"Then let's rest for a bit," agreed Kirby. They both sat down for a while, both silent. Eventually, Kirby got back up. "I could've gone for a glass of milk and a cookie," said Kirby sullenly.

"We can't go back there," said Rick.

"Then where do we go?" wondered Kirby aloud. "Maybe there's another way to get to the castle."

"I just want to go home," said Rick. "Please, Kirby?"

"No."

"I have fruit to pick," countered Rick. "Apples and pears. It's important stuff."

"There's fruit right here," said Kirby, a smile returning to his face. "Berries. See that bush?" Kirby pointed to a thick bush that hosted many red berries. "It's better than nothing," said Kirby. "Come on, let's eat some."

"Oh, alright," conceded Rick. The duo went over to the bush and began to pick berries. But something wasn't right about the bush. It felt loose, as if it's roots had been torn up from the ground. Kirby nudged the bush this way and that, and realized it moved freely. It was like a loose tooth. "Hm. This is weird," commented Kirby.

"It's like somebody ripped the bush out of the ground and left it there," observed Rick. Kirby grabbed the bush, and hurled it with all his might. The bush was light in Kirby's hands and revealed a wide hole it had been sitting on top of. Kirby and Rick gasped. "Someone ripped a bush out of the ground and used it to cover this hole," guessed Rick. The bush had been wider than the hole to prevent it from falling in, thus hiding the fact that there was a hole in the ground.

"Do you see some light down there?" asked Kirby.

"Yes. Do you see that ladder?"

Sure enough, there was a ladder leaning across the side of the hole opposite Kirby and Rick. Rick looked at Kirby, a bit concerned. Kirby had that look on his face again. "Oh, no..." muttered Rick. Kirby smiled. "This just got better," said Kirby. "Let's see where this leads."

"I don't think we should do this," advised Rick nervously.

"Don't worry, Rick. I bet there's gold down here."

Rick sighed. He watched despairingly as Kirby grabbed the ladder and climbed down the hole. "Come on!" Kirby called as he descended. Rick still felt nervous, but he swallowed his fears for the moment and climbed down with Kirby.


	2. Chapter 2

**Once again, I do not own any of these characters or settings. They belong to Nintendo.**

* * *

When they reached the bottom, they both stared in awe at the tunnel they saw up ahead. Someone had dug out a tunnel that was lit with lanterns every six or seven meters. "Someone's been working hard," said Kirby admiringly.

"Maybe a giant mole or a huge drilling machine," offered Rick with dread. "Maybe we should go back, Kirby."

"No, I have to see what's at the end of this tunnel." Kirby began walking.

"Okay, but let's go back home after this. Okay?" But Kirby didn't answer. He began singing once again and Rick followed behind, fearing the unknown. So Kirby and Rick walked along this scarcely lit tunnel not knowing what would be found. It was cold and definitely had a sense of foreboding of which Kirby seemed unaware. It just seemed to go on and on.

"This is scary," commented Rick.

"Don't be a chicken. Hey, look up ahead!" Rick looked past Kirby and saw a dark figure at the end of the tunnel. He was tall and had to bend a little just to fit. This dark figure leaned back, his right fist held out behind his back. Some type of violet energy surrounded him, and he unleashed a powerful punch that displaced a huge chunk of soil. Kirby and Rick flinched, covering their eyes from the dirt that was slung back their way. Rick began shaking.

"Now, I _really_ want to leave," he said.

"This man is making a tunnel," said Kirby, amazed. "We should talk to him and see where it goes."

"Are you nuts?!" exclaimed Rick. "I don't think we're welcome here, Kirby. He'll chase us like the others."

"I'm going to talk to him."

"Kirby!"

But there was no stopping the curiosity of Kirby. Rick sighed and gave up. He followed his friend, silently regretting ever following Kirby through the portal.

The man unleashed two more punches before sitting down and taking a rest. The man noticed two unknown figures coming his way. He became alarmed. They looked young, whoever they were. But...they definitely were not from Hyrule. The man stared at them. One seemed bold and naïve. The other seemed more cautious. _Well_, reasoned the tunnel digger, _no matter who's here, they must not bring my secret to the outside. These travelers found my hole, but they will soon learn of their fatal mistake._

The man used his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead. _All this punching to dig this tunnel is killing me. I won't be able to take care of them with my usual amount of power. Yet..._ The man examined them once again. _Oh, it should be no problem. No problem at all._

When Kirby and Rick were a few feet away from the tall man, Kirby greeted him. "Hi, my name is Kirby and I'm here with my friend. His name is Rick." Both Rick and Kirby could see the man much better. His hair was orange, his skin was dark, and his nose was a bit big. His eyes were almost red, emitting an intensity that made Kirby and Rick feel uncomfortable. Yes, even Kirby was taken aback. Kirby stood about two yards away from the man, refusing to get any closer.

The man smiled. He was dressed in some type of black armor. "Hello, strangers. You don't know who I am, do you?"

"No, who are you?" asked Kirby. Rick hid behind Kirby, but the man could see the oversized rodent shaking.

"Well, since it won't matter in a few seconds, I'll tell you who I am. My name is Ganondorf."

"Hi, Ganondorf," said Kirby, his cheerfulness returning. "Where is this tunnel supposed to lead to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" said Ganondorf mockingly. He got up and stood. Though he had to bend down slightly, he still towered over Kirby and Rick. He began to walk toward Kirby and Rick. Each step was slow, but deliberate. Ganondorf wanted to savor the moment, the fear in his victims' eyes. "Can we help you dig?" asked Kirby. Ganondorf snorted. "How would you be able to help?" He began guffawing as he continued his trek toward Kirby and Rick.

Kirby beamed. "I'll show you," he said. Kirby walked to Ganondorf and inhaled.

"What the—!" Ganondorf couldn't finish speaking. Kirby sucked him and copied his ability. After Kirby spit Ganondorf back out, he ran to the end of the tunnel and unleashed a massive punch that displaced much dirt. Ganondorf and Rick covered their eyes as chunks of dirt flew right at them. Ganondorf was amazed, and not just at the fact that Kirby had copied his ability. Kirby's appearance was different. He had Ganondorf's hair and thick eyebrows.

_How is this possible?_ wondered Ganondorf. _He took my ability and...pummeled the dirt wall. I have never seen...I have never...how?_ Ganondorf turned and faced Rick. "And what can you do?" he asked. Rick yelped and slipped past Ganondorf, joining Kirby at the end of the tunnel. "Whoa," said Kirby. "This punch really takes it out of you." Kirby felt a bit light-headed, but the feeling abated as time went on.

Rick frantically tried to get Kirby to leave. As they argued, Ganondorf thought. _I wonder if these two could come in handy for my plans. Hm. Certainly they have special abilities. If the guards saw them, they would be distracted. Then, I could...yes..._

A smile crept on Ganondorf's face. _It's funny how things have worked my way since I began this. These two children are so naïve. They'll do anything I say._ Ganondorf walked over to Kirby and Rick. "Please don't hurt me!" exclaimed Rick. Ganondorf appeared to be offended.

"Hurt you?" repeated Ganondorf. "Why, I'd never hurt you. I'm just trying to dig a tunnel to...a, uh, a special place."

Kirby's eyes lit up. "A special place? What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked. It's a castle."

"I love castles!" exclaimed Kirby, jumping up and down. "I bet it's the one we saw when we walked through the village."

"That's the one," confirmed Ganondorf.

"So we actually get to go in the castle?" asked Kirby.

"Oh, of course. It should be fun. Do you like fun?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Kirby.

"Then you'll do everything I say, or this won't work. Got it?" Ganondorf smiled. _Suckers._ Kirby nodded emphatically.

"Now, here's what you two must do when we get to the castle," began Ganondorf. "You will reach the surface. It should be a garden of some sort. There will be a guard. Maybe more than one. Anyway, the guards like fun as well."

"They do?" asked Kirby.

"Yes. They like fun, and I bet they'd like to play a game with you. Do you get me?"

"Yes, but what game can we play?" Kirby was barely able to keep still. Ganondorf had to stifle a laugh. This was too easy for him.

"Oh, it's a game called castle invasion," answered Ganondorf. "All you have to do is run away from the guards. Get their attention and run away. See how far you can get. And make you sure you inhale them like you inhaled me. Okay? The point of the game is not to get caught. Feel free to run all over the castle. You'll make a good distract—I mean—friend to the guards. They could use a little fun."

"What if we get caught?" asked Rick.

"Oh, don't worry. They'll, uh...let you go and you can play again."

"Aren't you playing?" asked Kirby.

"Of course I'm playing. But you two will go first. Then, I'll join you. So, does that sound like a plan?" asked Ganondorf, his eyes darting between Kirby and Rick. While Rick seemed unsure, Kirby was more than thrilled. "Yes!" shouted Kirby.

"Shh!" warned Ganondorf. "If my estimates are correct, we are right below the garden/courtyard area. Now, we need to dig _up_." Since Ganondorf was tall, he was able to punch out a lot of dirt right above him. The dirt collapsed and fell at his feet, forming a mound. The mound grew and grew as Kirby and Ganondorf began to alternate punches. Rick just stood near the two, still afraid of Ganondorf.

Eventually, Ganondorf, standing on the huge mound of dirt he and Kirby had formed, was able to peek his head out of the ground. His estimates were spot on. He could see the garden and knew he was in the courtyard. _And fortunately, I'm behind a bush, so the guards near the entrance can't see me. _Ganondorf told Kirby to quit the punching. Since Ganondorf and Kirby had made a hole on the surface, Ganondorf resorted to a much quieter method of widening the hole. He slowly ripped the ground apart with his raw strength. While Ganondorf worked on the ground, Kirby got rid of the ability he copied from Ganondorf.

Ganondorf grabbed Kirby and shoved him behind a bush. He grabbed Rick and did the same. "I'll be watching," he mouthed. Kirby smiled and looked at Rick. "You ready?" he whispered. Rick looked a bit pale.

"Kirby, are you sure this is just a game?" asked Rick quietly. Before Kirby could answer, Ganondorf tapped on him and motioned him to get going. Kirby motioned Rick to follow as he slowly crept around the bush. Ganondorf smiled. _Oh, this day will be remarkable. Nothing will stand in my way. Zelda will be mine, and I'll have the upper hand in negotiating with the King. Actually, with Zelda in my possession, there won't even be negotiations. I'll have all I want. The King would never risk his daughter's life. He'll give me everything._

Ganondorf crept up to the bush, and carefully poked his head out, watching Kirby and Rick. The two little creatures that Ganondorf had employed were not exactly the stealthiest. Fortunately, the two guards were looking outside, and not inside, the garden. _Fools_, thought Ganondorf. Kirby and Rick were creeping past a bed of flowers, when Rick tapped Kirby on the head.

"What are we going to do when we get to the guards?" asked Rick.

"Leave that to me," said Kirby confidently. "If I try, I might be able to inhale both of them." Rick looked away from Kirby and back at the guards. Both were wearing silver armor and held swords. Rick gulped, not so sure how things were going to pan out. But, he followed Kirby. He still didn't completely trust Ganondorf, but he'd follow Kirby anywhere.

"This is it," said Kirby. "Get ready. We're running."

"Oh, great. More running."

"3...2...1...GO!"

Kirby and Rick ran toward the guards. Ganondorf laughed. The guards were certainly in for a surprise. The guards turned around just as Kirby opened his mouth and inhaled. Both of them could do nothing. Kirby inhaled both and spit them back out behind him. He did not copy their abilities. "RUN!" shouted Kirby, laughing the way one would playing a game of tag. Rick followed behind Kirby as they ran past the entrance to the garden and down a hallway. The guards who had been subjected to Kirby's surprise left the garden and ran down the hallway. Ganondorf could hear the clink of even more metal shoes joining the original two guards. _Perfect. I just cleared out two sets of outer guards. _Ganondorf ran with surprising speed toward the entrance of the garden area. Once he passed the entrance, he sprinted down the same hallway that Kirby, Rick, and the guards took.

"Kirby! At some point, we need to hide!" exclaimed Rick. Kirby cut a sharp right down another hallway. Up ahead was a flight of spiral stairs leading to a higher floor. "Up those stairs!" shouted Kirby. Rick followed, his adrenaline helping him to keep up with Kirby. Rick was told it was a game, but it felt so real...

They ran up the stairs, but the guards saw them. The lead guard stationed two guards to guard the spiral stairs, while he and another bolted up the stairs. Ganondorf rounded a corner. He heard what he guessed was two sets of metal feet clanking up the spiral stairs. It didn't seem like all the guards went up the stairs. Ganondorf cursed. Well, there had to be another way. Ganondorf thought about what he would do.

In the meantime, Kirby and Rick had left the stairs and entered a new hallway. Kirby thought fast and jumped up into the air, holding on to Rick's paw. Kirby struggled, but floated higher and higher until he reached a chandelier. He sat upon it, placing Rick next to him. "Be quiet," warned Kirby. The chandelier was swinging a little bit. Kirby and Rick watched as two guards came up the stairs and ran as fast as they could down the hallway. Kirby and Rick gave each other a silent high five. The guards didn't so much as glance at the ceiling.

If they did, they would have noticed the chandelier swinging . They would have seen Kirby and Rick. The guards convened in the middle of the hallway. They knew something was amiss. They decided to start searching the rooms in the hallway. Kirby took Rick and jumped off the chandelier. Other than them, the hallway was empty.

"What now?" asked Rick.

Kirby saw another set of spiral stairs at the end of the hallway. "We go up," answered Kirby.

Ganondorf became tired of waiting. The guards in front of the stairs were not going anywhere anytime soon. He sighed as he took in his surroundings. There had to be something he could do. He noticed a statue next to him. It was a statue of a knight. "Hm...I wonder." Ganondorf reached for the helmet and pulled it right off. Underneath the helmet was a faceless head of stone. Ganondorf slammed the helmet to the ground, hoping to get the attention of both of the guards. He only heard one guard come his way. He prepared himself.

As soon as he saw a guard peek his head around the corner of the hallway, Ganondorf acted. He grabbed the guard's collar and smashed him against the wall. He smacked the sword out of the guard's hand, grabbed him, and pushed him to the other wall. The guard recovered, but Ganondorf would not let up. He charged up a punch and hit the guard square on the chest. The guard fell, knocked out cold. Ganondorf smiled as he heard another pair of footsteps. _All in a day's work_.

Kirby and Rick made it to the next floor up and spotted several guards up ahead. But Kirby wasn't concerned with the guards. He smelled food. To his right was a room from which Kirby thought the smells came. "In here," said Kirby. Kirby opened the door and was delighted to see a kitchen. There was food everywhere. On a huge wooden table were two silver platters. Kirby took Rick's paw and jumped on the table. One platter contained crackers and some type of exotic jelly in a jade cup.

The other platter contained sliced up fruits of all kinds. "This is great!" commented Kirby. "Now, we have something to eat."

"Uh, Kirby? I think I hear footsteps," warned Rick. Kirby looked around frantically. He knew he could just run away, but he wanted those crackers. "Wait, I have an idea!" exclaimed Rick. The silver, dome-shaped lids for the platters were right behind Rick. "Take one," said Rick, handing one to Kirby. "And cover yourself up."

"Good idea, Rick," complimented Kirby. They both sat atop their respective platters, and covered themselves with their lids. The head chef entered the room and saw the two platters. "Funny, I don't remember leaving them like that," he commented, a hand stroking his chin. "Oh, well. It's time to deliver these snacks."

"Need some help?" asked a young man entering the room.

"Yes, my apprentice. Carry a platter for me." The head chef and his apprentice carried the platters containing Kirby and Rick down the hall. After some time, Kirby and Rick noticed that they were being taken up another flight of stairs. Finally, they heard a door open.

"Ha! There's the snacks," somebody said.

"Thank you, Chef," was the grateful remark from a young woman's voice. "I do appreciate it."

"Oh, it's nothing," said the chef dismissively.

"But it means a lot to me. I understand you are very busy catering to guests today. If I would have known how busy you were, I would not have placed an order."

"We finished it in no time," said the chef. "And my apprentice is a big help."

"I've heard good things about you," said the woman, regarding the apprentice. His face turned a bit red. "I'm glad about that," he said timidly.

"Well, we must be off," said the chef. "Come on, Martino."

"Thank you," said the young man and young woman simultaneously. A door shut, and there was silence for just an instant. Kirby was nervous. What were they going to do? There was no way out. They were going to be seen.

"What's wrong?" asked the young man.

"I just have this feeling. A premonition. Like something bad is going to happen. Like I'm in danger. I don't know..." answered the young woman sullenly.

"Don't worry, the guards are out there," said the guy. "Plus, I'm here," he added smugly. Kirby could hear the young woman laughing softly.

"You think highly of yourself, don't you?" she asked playfully.

"Hey, I'm the whole package."

Both of them started laughing. "Hey, what do you say we start on these snacks?" said the guy. "I love the crackers and jelly they make here. It's good." Kirby gulped and closed his eyes as he felt the darkness disappear.

* * *

**Stay Tuned for Chapter 3!**


End file.
